Poll: New Yorkers Fear Becoming Homeless

A study released today by the Institute for Children and Poverty, a research and advocacy organization, finds homelessness is a major factor in the lives of New Yorkers. A third of New Yorkers think about homelessness everyday; 15 percent have hosted someone who might otherwise have been homeless in the past six months; and 20 percent of poll respondents “perceived themselves as being at risk for homelessness,” with black and Latino respondents and Bronx residents more likely to fear losing their homes.

The study is the result of a random telephone survey of 1,000 people conducted in January, according to ICP. It has a margin of error of 3.1 percent.

According to the survey, New Yorkers felt city government needed to do more, with sevenof ten rating the job as poor or fair. Perception of the city's performance on homelessness was split by income: One in three low-income households thought the city was doing a poor job; 1 in 5 households earning more than $75,000 did. About half of respondent said they were willing to pay higher taxes to better fight homelessness and half told survey takers they would support the placement of homeless shelters in their neighborhoods. ICP considers the survey results a tool to shape homelessness policy, the institute's President and CEO Ralph da Costa Nunez said.

"The main take-away is that New Yorkers believe government should serve as a safeguard for those who can't make ends meet, whether it be through prevention or targeted interventions," he said.